Velaš recommended "experience and knowledge": How to go from being suspected of devastation to being an official in three months

VLadislav Velas He was proposed as the vice president of the Municipality of Herceg Novi in ​​order to put his experience and knowledge at the service of the city's development.

With these words, the head of the local parliament and founder of the Nova Lista Miloš Konjević defends his party's decision to nominate, and then with coalition partners elect Velaš to an important position - a man who, as acting secretary of the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Construction Inspection of Herceg Novi, had an affair with a businessman three months ago Čedomir Popović was arrested in connection with a case of illegal construction in the Novi settlement of Baošići.

Both have, in the meantime, been released to defend themselves from prison, and the police (through criminal charges) suspect Velaš of abusing his official position and exceeding his authority by issuing a decision to issue a building permit for the development of a beach in Baošići, within the scope of the Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the coastal area of ​​Montenegro.

"There is a reasonable suspicion that the aforementioned permit was issued illegally, because the legally prescribed conditions were not met, that is, the mandatory documentation was missing. In this way, it is suspected that it enabled the investor (Popović, ed. author's note) to acquire illegal material benefits, to the detriment of the public interest and cultural heritage of Montenegro," the Police Directorate announced on March 23.

Three months later, Velaš - although the Baošić case was not concluded - at the proposal of the Novi List (whose candidate for councilor in several elections) he became the vice-mayor of the Municipality of Herceg Novi.

Konjević: He proved himself.

For Miloš Konjević, Velaš is a “professional” who has performed his recent function in the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Construction Inspection “extremely successfully and exclusively in the interest of the citizens of Herceg Novi.” This, he claims, is proven by the numerous projects he has implemented.

"He was nominated for the position of deputy mayor of the municipality in order to put his experience and knowledge at the service of the city's development in several areas," Konjević told "Vijesti".

Asked what message is being sent by electing a man who was arrested on suspicion of abusing his official position, Konjević replied that the message being sent from Herceg Novi is that the city and its people are "not an address for arrests" and that they are "fully convinced of the correctness of the administrative procedures conducted by Velaš".

"The entire process surrounding Baošić has exposed the fact that business-administrative connections and combinations at other addresses, the same ones that devastated the Herceg Novi economy over the past three decades, are still alive," he said.

Tadic Mijovic: Award

In addition to the councilors of the Nova List, representatives of the Democrats and the New Serbian Democracy (NSD) also raised their hands in favor of electing Velaš. However, their officials - the first man of Herceg Novi Stevan Katic (Democrats) and vice president of the Municipality Ivan Otovic (NSD) - they did not answer the editorial staff why they supported Velaš and what if it turns out that he is responsible for the devastation of the coast in Baošići.

The Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Herceg Novi told "Vijesti" yesterday that pre-trial proceedings are underway against Čedomir Popović and his company "Carina" for the continued criminal offense of building a facility without a building permit and documentation, and against Velaš for the criminal offense of abuse of official position.

"Additional geodetic and architectural expertise is currently being conducted in the proceedings, on the orders of this prosecutor's office. These are complex and extensive expertise that require more time than usual procedures. After collecting the necessary evidence, a decision will be made on criminal charges," the ODT said.

Director of the Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro Milka Tadic Mijović, she told the newspaper that there are ongoing suspicions in the country of abuses of positions that are rewarded.

"This, in fact, indicates that there is no discontinuity with the old policy, that there is no discontinuity with all that crime that is, unfortunately, embedded in the foundations of modern Montenegro. Those who came to power after 2020 are continuously doing the same - if not worse - than what they did until 2020, and against which they were the first to fight. The foundations on which they think they are building Montenegro are criminal, and we must fight against that," she assessed.

Tadić Mijović says that the Baošići case shows that Čedomir Popović can do whatever he wants, just as he could during the rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).

"Now he has protectors in the new government. This is, obviously, just another proof that he has good political backing that protects him... Now we will see what the courts will do regarding these scandals and whether this country even has courts...", the interviewee states.

Vujičić: He should not have been elected

Only a European Union councilor voted against the election of Velaš. Tanja Vujicic, while representatives of the Democratic People's Party, the Civic Movement URA, the "Idemooo" movement and the Open Boka list abstained. DPS councilors boycotted the vote.

Vujičić told "Vijesti" that decisions like the election of Velaš cannot and must not pass without serious scrutiny of responsibility and public trust. According to her, the majority of councilors in the Novi Sad parliament had neither the political courage nor the principled stance to oppose such an election, although, she adds, this was the obligation of each of those who decide on behalf of the citizens.

"We can add - the new assembly increasingly resembles 'games without borders', and so does this appointment. I am not the court to judge and pass judgment, but I also believe that Mr. Velaš at this moment, with all the accusations he bears to his name, should not be elected to a high position in the city. The devastation of the coast in Baošići should have been an obstacle, not a recommendation," said Vujičić.

At the beginning of the year, businessman Čedomir Popović's company "Carine" began work on filling and concreting the beach beneath their future hotel in Baošići without obtaining conservation conditions and consent from the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

That is why the institution ordered an immediate halt to the works in mid-February. The administration requested this because the works were being carried out in the UNESCO protected area of ​​Kotor and in violation of prescribed procedures, while the former 1.500 square meter beach area has now been filled with 12.500 square meters.

Popović and his company have been ordered to restore the beach in Baošići to its previous condition, but this has not yet happened...

Velaš: All the best to everyone, and many implemented projects for the city

Velaš did not respond to a question from "Vijesti" sent to his telephone number available to the editorial staff - what message is being sent to the public by electing someone as vice president whom the police claim abused his position.

According to Montenegrin regulations, there were no obstacles to Velaš taking the position.

According to the Law on Local Self-Government (Article 68), he may lose it (by termination of his mandate by force of law) if he is convicted by a final judgment of an act that makes him unworthy of holding office, or if he is sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence.

After the election, Velaš said that he expected the continuation of "intensive implementation of all initiated projects."

"I expect that we will start with the implementation of the vertical communication that will connect the promenade and the higher city zones. Finally, the implementation of the city bypass will continue... The new city hospital is our need and this year a public competition for the development of a conceptual design will be implemented. We have many obligations ahead of us, we have many ideas and I wish you all the best and joy, and many new implemented projects for our city," he said, according to Radio-Television Herceg Novi.

Velaš's biography, available on the Herceg Novi Municipality website, states that he is a graduate geodesy engineer, that he earned his degree at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade, and that during his professional career he has worked on numerous significant infrastructure and development projects - both in the private and public sectors.

He reportedly further improved his acquired experience through his work in the local government of Herceg Novi, where since 2019 he has served as the Secretary of the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Construction Inspection.